MEET BIA

What sparked my health journey ...

I grew up struggling with constipation and acne. Going to the bathroom once a week with much struggle was the norm for me. And acne? Well, I always heard my mom struggled with it when she was a teenager and now it was my turn. I didn’t know better than to think I didn’t have control over my body. I ate the same as everyone around me, and my lifestyle was just like my friends. I had accepted that reality and didn’t do much to try to change it.

But it was during my sophomore year in college that things changed. I was living away from home and I gained some weight to my ‘always skinny frame’. It was the first time I wanted to badly change something about my body. Experimenting with some weird / crazy diets, calorie counting, and over exercising, I came across veganism. Thats when everything I had been struggling with kinda faded away.

My dietary change opened my eyes ...

Going plant-based led to much research. I didn't know how to eat without meat or cheese in my plate. At first, the dietary change was for my own help. I read about all of the amazing benefits a vegan diet would give me (and they were all true), so I decided to eat this way to keep effortlessly keep the weight off, my skin clear, and my digestion on point. But as my research went more in depth, I was exposed to documentaries like Forks over Knives, Earthlings, Food Inc., that taught me that what was on my plate not only was affecting my health, but also the wellbeing of Mother Earth and the animals that were losing their lives to satisfy my taste buds. Disturbed my the truth of factory farming, I went fully vegan in April 2013 and I haven't looked back since.

My body was healing, but my mind was lost ...

Loving to research and read about nutrition, I was able to figure out very quickly how to eat for ideal health; however, I completely neglected the wellbeing on my mind (and spirit). It was during my junior year of college that my eating disorder became very apparent to me. Body dysmorphia, orthorexia, and binge eating (just to scrape the surface) took over all areas of my life. School performance, social life, my relationships, self-love, ... it was all compromised. It was 4 years of this rollercoaster ride, and after hiding bottom a couple of times, I knew my life mission was to reconnected with my myself, regain my self-love, and help as many people I could going through the same problems.

How I am following my mission ...

I applied to study at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and became a certified holistic health coach. I have read and studied every book I could get my hands on about nutrition, vegan lifestyle, meditation, eating disorders, creating new habits, and shared everything I learned with friends and family, on instagram, youtube, and my blog.

I work one-on-one with my clients and create personalized health programs for them, along with weekly motivation and guidance. I host workshops, speak at events, create recipes, and keep pushing the envelop to reach as many people I can.

I created this website for you ...

For you to explore, learn, feel inspired, share your stories! + I'd really love to connect with you! The best places to connect with me are in the comment section on my blog, on comments on photos or private messages on instagram, or via email. It was when I finally opened up about struggles that my health began to shift for the better, so please don't hesitate to reach out!!

Before you go, don't forget to sign up for my weekly motivation, recipes, and blog posts at the convenience of your email inbox! Sign up below under "Subscribe".

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And in case you want to know a little more about me...

I was born and raised in Brazil, and moved to Miami when I was 13.

I graduated summa cum laude from Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, with a degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design.

Portrait drawing is my creative outlet.

I am a morning person!

Minimalism is my new thing.

I love supporting vegan, fair trade, sustainable brands.

Health Coaching

MY TRAINING

I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where I learned coaching methods, practical lifestyle management techniques, and over 100 dietary theories – Ayurveda, gluten-free, Paleo, raw, vegan, macrobiotics, and everything in between.

Through the school, I studied with the world's top health and wellness experts including:

Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd, founder and director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition

MY APPROACH

I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means that I look at how all areas of your life are connected. Does stress at your job or in your relationship(s) cause you to overeat? Does lack of sleep or low energy prevent you from exercising? Are you dependent of caffeine to get things done?

As we work together, we will look at how all parts of your life affect your health as a whole. I work with my clients to get in touch with their body’s needs because I understand that life happens and your needs will change.

I want to equip you with the self-Awareness to make the best decisions for yourself in any given circumstance.

I share the same believe as Geneen Roth when it comes to the food on our plate. Geneen Roth is a best-selling author and expert on emotional eating and I had the pleasure to learn from her during my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition . She believes that:

"We eat the way we live, and that our relationship to food, money, love is an exact reflection of our deepest held beliefs about ourselves and the amount of joy, abundance, pain, scarcity we believe we have (or are allowed) to have in our lives."

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Let’s define what you value most from your well-being. We’ll use these visions to motivate specific goals that bring you closer to where you want to be. As your coach, I will not dictate a diet for you, but together we will explore why some foods make you feel better than others and how to strategically use that feedback. Together we’ll co-create your health goals within reasonable time frames and actionable objectives so you know exactly what you’re working toward.

Here are a few strategies and topics we will cover during our coaching:

PRIMARY FOODS

Health goes beyond what’s on your plate. It is a combination of all areas of your life. Think about this: how well is your diet when your mind and energy are consumed with stress from work, never ending house chore lists, and guilt for not having time to go to the gym. You would probably feel overwhelmed and overeating on chocolate chip cookies to alleviate your stress. With coaching, we will take a look at your primary foods (your relationships, home environment, physical activity, spirituality, career, …) as well as what’s in your plate. Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity, and a spiritual awareness are essential forms of nourishment that, when in balance, affect what’s on your plate positively. I will support you in achieving all of your goals, from eating the right foods for your body to living an inspired, fulfilling life.

CROWDING OUT

From personal experience and trying many eating styles, I know that changing your diet is a challenging step. Some of us like to go cold turkey and make changes overnight, while others enjoy the process of slowly implementing changes into our lives. The key here is that there is no right answer, only the best option for your unique self. The concept of crowding out is to introduce healthier and nutritious foods and habits into your life so you will naturally have less room and desire for unhealthy foods. Simply put, you will crowd out the unhealthy food in your diet. This takes a little practice to make happen, but I will support you along the way.

BIO INDIVIDUALITY

Have you ever wondered how two friends who eat the same things can have such different bodies and health? That’s because we are not all made the same way, and that’s why we must approach our own health and lifestyle with a touch of personalization.Working on the principle of bio-individuality, I’ll support you to make positive changes that are based on your unique needs, lifestyle, preferences, and ancestral background.

DECONSTRUCTING CRAVINGS

During our coaching, we will invest in your ability to listen to your body and intuition. Cravings can come from a mental or physical deficiency. Boredom, stress, anxiety, believes you hold about yourself can lead to cravings, as well as nutrient and calorie deficiencies. When you learn how to deconstruct your cravings and understand what they are really telling you, you will be able to reclaim a sense of balance and harmony.

Are you curious about how health coaching can help you?

BECOME A HEALTH COACH

WHY I BECAME A HEALTH COACH AND HOW YOU CAN TOO!

MY STORY

It all started when I made a drastic shift in my diet. I improved my lifestyle tremendously by changing the foods I was eating. I was in my second year of college when I made the lifestyle change to follow a plant-based diet. I improved my digestive system, eliminated my cystic acne, and cultivated a better relationship with food. It was during this positive transformation that I knew I wanted a career helping others improve their quality of life.

It was only after graduation that I heard about health coaching from entrepreneurial friends living in my community. Two of them, specifically, had gone through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) certification program. Now, one of them owns South Florida’s largest healthy juice and smoothie company, while the other owns a yoga studio and a plant-based café in Miami. I was inspired by their education at IIN and their success making a positive impact in our community, so I decided to join the school.

Since college, I was extremely drawn towards learning about nutrition. While my college friends were reading about design (my college major), I spent hours learning about how to heal my body through food and mental wellness. I already knew a lot about nutrition going into the program, but the knowledge I gained was beyond my expectation. Not only did I learn about dietary recommendations from doctors from around the world, I learned the necessary skills to apply them in helping others improve their health.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

During the one-year program, I learned from the top health and wellness leaders, as well as experts in business and marketing. IIN not only teaches you about the dietary theories, but they give you the business and coaching tools to start your own business.

They will work with you step-by-step in defining your target audience, market your brand, attract potential clients and turn them into paying clients. Besides coaching one-on-one, they will also teach you how to run group programs and workshops in your local spas, schools, corporate offices, and health clubs.

A big plus for me about the program is its FLEXIBILITY and COMMUNITY. Besides their online student portal, they have an app for your phone or tablet to help you study on the go. Since I was working while doing the program, I would often listen to lectures on my long commute to work. You will also have access to private Facebook groups to get in touch with students from around the world going through the same course.

I have honestly only good things to say about my experience!! It allowed me to follow my dream and build my career.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING A CAREER SHIFT OR YOU WANT TO ATTEND THE PROGRAM TO IMPROVE YOUR OWN HEALTH,I AM AVAILABLE TO CHAT!

As an IIN Ambassador, I am here to answer any questions about the school and my experience as a Health Coach, and share my special savings offer.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET A TASTE OF HOW THE COURSE IS LIKE BY SAMPLING A CLASS?